14 October 2013

There
were two kinds of comic book readers when I was a kid: those who read
about superheroes and those who liked Archie. I was always in the latter
group. So when I picked up Runaways: Pride & Joy at the suggestion of my Internet friend Kelly (The Written World), I wasn't sure what I'd think. But because we--along with SuzieQOregon (Whimpulsive)--decided to read a graphic novel series more or less at the same time, I gave it a go.

Brian K. Vaughan (of Saga
fame) wrote the Runaways series for middle grade readers and up who are
looking for a fresh, modern take on the superhero genre. Although the
books don't feature Spider-Man, Superman, and the Invisible Woman, they
do star teens who are somewhat more than they appear.

Ever
since they can remember, Alex, Gertrude, Karolina, Chase, Molly, and
Nico have been forced to spend one evening a year together at Alex's
house while their parents meet in private to discuss their charity work.
One year, bored and not happy with each other's company, the kids decide to spy on the meeting.

What they discover
is that their parents are part of a secret intergalactic group
called the Pride. Instead of doing good for the less fortunate, the six
couples are really plotting the takeover of the world. Their children
are naturally horrified and band together, hoping to thwart the Pride's
plans. Once the adults realize they've been exposed, they cast aside all
parental feelings and go after the children with a vengeance,
protecting their own interests at all costs.

Pride & Joy
sets up the premise for the books to follow. We are introduced to the
two rival gangs, and see the teens' transformation as they begin to
discover their own powers and learn the truth of their parents. I
particularly liked how Vaughan captured the teenage mind and gave each
kid a distinct personality. There is a tiny bit of sexual attraction
between two characters, but it's a minor part of the story, so we are
saved the drama of all-consuming teen love.

I never
would have guessed that I'd look forward to reading a graphic novel
series with a foundation in classic Marvel comics. But Brian K. Vaughan
has caught my interest. Plus I love the tag line:

At some point in their lives, all young people believe their parents are evil . . . but what if they really are?

Don't be thrown off by either the target audience (middle grade readers) or the superhero aspects of Runaways. Pride & Joy
holds the promise of much more than simple action-packed good vs. evil.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the teens mature into their new roles
and learn to get along so they can work as a team.

The
artwork, penciled by Adrian Alphona, is detailed enough to provide a
clear sense of the environment, action, and emotions without being
distracting. The quirks of each character seem to be consistently
rendered, making it easy to recognize people at a glance. I love the
color scheme of dark greens and blues, sparked by muted
orange and purple. The scan (click the image to see full size) comes
from early in the book (the pages aren't numbered), when we are being
introduced to the six families on the evening of the annual
get-together.

Vaughan cemented me as a fan with Y: The Last Man. I also just read the first volume of Saga and really enjoyed that one. I had not heard of this one before and I love the premise. I will definitely be checking it out!

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I'm a freelance book editor, reviewer, and journalist blogging as Beth Fish. On these pages, you'll find book reviews, book features, and other bookish content. I like to spotlight my favorite imprints and I'm a long-time audiobook lover. (I was the Audio Publishers Association's 2016 Audiobook Blogger of the Year!) Each Saturday I host my popular Weekend Cooking feature. Don't forget to look for my weekly photograph. You can find me on social media as @BethFishReads. Publicists, publishers, authors: please see my review policy. NB: I did not work on any book mentioned on this site.

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